discreet

views updated Jun 08 2018

dis·creet / disˈkrēt/ • adj. (-creet·er, -creet·est) careful and circumspect in one's speech or actions, esp. in order to avoid causing offense or to gain an advantage: we made some discreet inquiries. ∎  intentionally unobtrusive: a discreet cough.DERIVATIVES: dis·creet·ly adv.dis·creet·ness n.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

discreet

views updated May 21 2018

discreet showing good judgement. XIV. — (O)F. discret, -ète — L. discrētus separate, DISCRETE, which in late L. and Rom. took over its new meaning from discrētiō DISCRETION.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

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